If you told me that I’d be writing a review about a new God of War game in early 2026, my reaction would’ve been one of total disbelief. Thanks to a shadow drop at the latest PlayStation State of Play, here we are. While the result is a 2D metroidvania rather than a third-person epic, all the staples of a great God of War release are here – soaring soundtrack by Bear McCreary, weapon upgrades, challenging boss fights and deep lore. Set as a prequel during Kratos’ childhood, one of the highlights is the narration by TC Carson (the original voice of Kratos) which also connects to his daughter before…well, you know. We also have the chance to see Kratos engage with brother Deimos and the land of Sparta. While the presentation does not have the depth of the other titles – especially the latest releases – the heart of a God of War title is here, and it stretches across a 15-20 hour journey full of series flavour.
The God of War story is either known or unknown to a gamer. Both 2018 and Ragnarok (and by extension, Valhalla) did enough back-scratching to provide those that didn’t play the original trilogy with a foundation in the progression of Kratos. Controlling him in such a young, respectful and untarnished form takes an adjustment, but the art style does allow for separation. Nothing happens from a story perspective that will largely shock or wow the player, but it really isn’t supposed to. The highs come from exploration, upgrades, boss fights and that metroidvania feature of finding an item to progress. Having fully voiced characters and easter eggs is a bonus, aligning with the quality of the IP.
Gameplay is the focus here. I’ll admit that when I saw the shadow drop and received the code, I was not chomping at the bit for a metroidvania following the 60+ hours in Silksong late last year. Thankfully, Sons of Sparta is shorter and more accessible. Armed with a spear and shield, you’ll start out with standard attacks and a slow integration of the three meters that handle your health, magic and projectiles. The first area, the fields of Sparta, is a good tutorial to practice hitting, dodging and parrying enemies. Moving around feels natural and it is always clear as to whether you can reach a ledge or make a jump. The fights are reminiscent of the brutality of other GOW games, and the UI is similar when upgrading or navigating menus. The Kratos here though is much thinner, packing less of a punch. To counter this, he moves quite quickly and dodging becomes a core mechanic in any tougher fight. Each block on the map is a few screens worth of enemies, terrain and secrets. Fights are over quickly, but managing that health bar is essential as health doesn’t come by so freely compared to the other meters. I played on the normal difficulty and found this to be well balanced. Minor spikes occurred, though I never felt punished. The loop is enjoyable and standard for this type of game, managing to dish out enough items to keep fights fresh.
No metroidvania would be complete without seeing a part of the map that can’t be accessed due to a pesky barrier requiring a specific item. Sons of Sparta does this constantly. Oh, there’s some vines blocking the way? Need fire. Oh, there’s a button up there and I have no projectiles? Need the sling. It is very obvious, and it ensures that finding these items is always a priority in areas with many red flags. I only became lost a couple of times. The map is strong in showing where you can go, where you haven’t been and where your nearest camp is (save and upgrade point). It branches out in all directions from Sparta and ensures you’re never too far away from home. This is a positive as many quest givers and upgrade opportunities exist in Sparta. If only young Kratos knew the trajectory of his life…
Performance-wise, this is a 2D side-scrolling metroidvania and it won’t be making your PlayStation puff out smoke any time soon. The soundtrack is high energy, orchestral and full of heavy beats. It simply slaps, and a game of this look has no right to be this soaring in sound. The art style is subjective. It serves its purpose but is also by no means my favourite way to present God of War. After playing for 10 minutes, you’ll quickly adapt and the style is the style. The one performance issue I had was during some boss fights. For some reason, a boss would wedge me into a corner and finish me off. I had no way of moving out of said corner. I then usually avoided a corner while fighting and off we went. This will likely be patched quickly, and I noticed that patches have already come through during my playthrough. The touted co-op also appears to be an issue, but I had no intention of playing a God of War game in that mode – therefore it’s no issue of mine. I see these games as very individualised. It’s a journey of the self as much as the character.
Outside of the deeper detail, the next focus is on the series itself. With Sons of Sparta, you are either going to like metroidvania-style games or you’re not. Skipping the game isn’t blocking you out of essential lore or gameplay, but it does provide an in-between while we wait for the upcoming trilogy remake (which will very likely be presented in the same way as 2018 and Ragnarok/Valhalla). As we know that is years away, would I like to keep seeing these smaller projects led by different teams pop up? Yes. Is there an Atreus game that could use this format? Is there a period between the Greek and Norse games that could use this format? Not all games need to be 5-year commitments on latest-tech epics. Shadow drops are also exciting. The series is now ready for its TV show. The IP is thriving. I’m all for the broadening of styles and types to keep the content regular, knowing that the main content is still driven by the core team.
God of War: Sons of Sparta is a 15-20 hour side-scroller with many of the tropes picked up across more than a decade. The combat is fast-paced, the story is heartfelt and there’s enough content to keep you exploring every square inch of the map. For a shadow drop, the game serves purpose in providing more Kratos for the world to engage with before Ryan Hurst screams BOY. For half the price of a normal new release, it is worth every piece.
Pros
- God of War
- Epic music
- Much longer than expected
- Shadow drop!
Cons
- Presentation may not always thrive
- Fairly safe in focus
